Mending Fences
by Lily Hanson
Summary: Mrs. Goodall knows she's done wrong by her daughter and wants to make up for all the missed time. Emma sees the efforts her mother is making but refuses to let her get any closer. Mrs. Goodall refuses to give up on her daughter this time. Can there be a relationship or is it really too little too late?
1. Chapter 1

_Disclaimer: I do not own Power Rangers Megaforce. This story is fan-made._

_Author's Note: This is not where the Megaforce series starts. If you want to read the series without getting lost, I suggest you read my stories in the order they appear:_

_**No To Date Nights - The Party Night - Project Partners - Megaforce: Lives Behind The Masks - **__**Prom Night**__ - __**A Trip To Remember - First Meetings - Something She Loves – Protective Morans – Samurai In Harwood County – Rainy Days – Luck Had Nothing To Do With It – Ranger Support – Parents and Children – Hero Without The Spandex – Emma's Night – Emma's Mother – Bait And Switch – After Death – A Stormy Day – A Date For Tensou – A Mother's Advice**_

Emma got her pictures printed after another beautiful day out in the woods. She always came back with hundreds of photos of the things she had seen. Gia sometimes liked to tease her, saying she spent more time looking through her camera lens that at life itself, but Emma didn't care. She loved what pictures could show and how they captured a moment in time perfectly, without alterations.

She had a collection of photo albums from over the years. They were all in her closet, where she could easily access them and look over any picture she had taken in the past. While some girls like to write diaries, Emma's photo collection was her diary. There was no a special event that wasn't represented by at least a dozen photos.

She put her newest pictures into her picture album and sighed when she got to the last photo. There was hardly any room left because she had reached the last page. She only just managed to squeeze in the picture when she heard someone walking into the living room.

"Well, it's official," she said as she closed the book, "I'll need a new album."

"Not if you already have one," her mother answered and Emma looked up, surprised to see her there. She thought she had been talking to Gia or Mrs. Moran.

Mrs. Goodall held out a book, "I, um, I saw you were running low on space. You have a lot of these."

"What's that?"

"A new album to put your pictures," Mrs. Goodall said nervously and gestured to Emma to take the book. The pink Ranger hesitated.

"How did you know?"

"You left that one on the table this morning. Gia told me you keep your pictures there. I… had a look. I hope that's okay."

"Pictures were made to be looked at," Emma said but she still wouldn't take the gift from her mother. "You know, I can buy my own photo album, right."

"Emma, I bought this for you," Mrs. Goodall offered the album again. "I know you love photography, and it looks like you love collecting the pictures. I thought this would be a nice gift."

"I don't want gifts, mom. Not from you."

Emma took her filled up photo album and hugged it to her chest before walking off to her room. Mrs. Goodall stood for a moment with the gift album in her hands and a tear rolled down her cheek. She was trying. She knew she had made big mistakes, but she was trying to make up for them. She thought for sure the album would help her get a conversation going with her daughter.

"Mrs. Goodall?"

She turned around and saw Gia. She wiped her eyes and sighed, "What?"

"Oh… uh… mom's been staring at the den for twenty minutes," Gia gestured down the hall. "I think she's missing dad."

"Thank you, Gia," Mrs. Goodall sighed and walked down the hallway to find her friend. Gia watched her go and then looked up the stairs.

"I can't believe I'm going to do this," she whispered then climbed the stairs and knocked on Emma's door. She walked in before Emma could say anything.

"You know," she said and sat down next to Emma on the bed, "You do need a new album. It was nice of your mom to go out and get one."

"I can buy my own."

"She's trying, Emma," Gia sighed. "I mean, she's here, isn't she?"

"She's here for your mom. I didn't call her here because I'm ready to fix things. I'm not."

"She doesn't have to be your mom, though," Gia said. "I think it hurts her when you ignore her."

"So then she knows how it feels."

"You're not a vengeful person, Emma. Your mother's trying, doesn't that count for anything? It's not like she had any intention on being a horrible mom. It's not like…"

"She had seventeen years, Gia," Emma said. "Seventeen years to realize she was doing a shitty job raising me. Your mother even offered her a trip as long as she stayed here with me and she couldn't do it! My parents didn't want me."

"Emma," Gia wrapped her arms around her best friend and pulled her in close, "Your father fought for you, remember?"

"You mean that time he pointed a gun at us?"

"When he realized you weren't with your mother, he came here because he wanted to take you home. He wanted to be with you."

"If he had taken me home, I would have just been alone in New York."

"Yeah, but he wanted you. He's twisted, but you can't deny he wanted you."

"Fine, he wanted me."

"And now you're mother, without using guns, is trying to win you over. She really wants to be a part of your life, Emma."

"Okay, so they want me. That doesn't make up for everything. Or anything."

"I know," Gia said. "I don't expect it to, but… it just seems kind of weird that you're upset because your parents don't care about you, and then you ignore them when they try to. I really think you should… open up."

"To mom?"

"She's upset, Emma."

"So was I!" Emma pulled away from Gia and shouted, "Don't you think I was upset every time they pushed me away? Don't you think I was hurt when my parents announced they were going on some big vacation and I had to stay with you? Don't you think it hurt every time I walked into my own house and there was no one there?"

"I know you did, Emma, but…"

"Get out!"

"Em…"

"Get out, Gia."

"I just want to help."

"Well, you're not helping," Emma scoffed. "You're just being stupid."

"Emma…"

"My parents hurt me," Emma growled to Gia, "And now, just because my mom's upset I'm ignoring her, you're trying to tell me I should try and fix things? Why? Because she's sorry?"

"Emma, I didn't mean…"

"Oh, wait, I'm hearing something," Emma interrupted Gia and cupped her hand around her ear, "Oh, it's Cliff."

"No…"

"It's a message from him. From the afterlife. Oh, what's that, Cliff? You're sorry? Oh, well if you're sorry, then sure, Gia would love to talk to you. How does that feel, Gia?"

"I was just trying to help," Gia said as she got off the bed and walked over to the door, "You didn't have to be a bitch about it."

Gia slammed the door as she stormed out.


	2. Noah's Questions

"Did she really say that?" Noah asked as he sat at the bar at Brainfreeze with Gia. He looked down at his smoothie and sighed, "That doesn't sound like her. I'm sure she didn't mean it."

Gia shrugged her shoulders. It had been a few hours since her fight with Emma but it all felt so fresh. She had gone to Mrs. Goodall to see if she could talk to her mother, whom seemed to be caught up in her own thoughts as she stared into the den - Mr. Moran's space. She had walked in on more than she bargained for when she overheard the talk between the two Goodalls. Mrs. Goodall had kindly bought Emma a new album to store her pictures but Emma wanted nothing to do with it or with her. She had rejected the gift and her mother and stormed off. Gia could understand why Emma was hurting. She had been with her from day one and had seen how much her parents had hurt her.

She could also see what Mrs. Goodall was trying to do. She had realized her mistake, she knew how much it had hurt her daughter, and she was trying to make up for it. Gia wanted Emma to know that her mother was trying, but Emma wouldn't hear it and had lashed out, saying things Gia really hoped she didn't mean.

"You need to understand," Gia whispered, "Emma's hurting a lot, but Mrs. Goodall… she's different now. She's been really good with my mother and…"

"To be fair, that is different. Being a good friend and good mother aren't related."

"Yeah, but she's attentive and caring. That's got to count, right? And she's trying, Noah. Mrs. Goodall is always trying to make conversation with Emma and she's always getting shut down. I'm on Emma's side, and I don't want to see her get hurt, but I don't want to see her hurting."

"You think she's hurting herself when she ignores her mother?"

"She just wants parents, Noah," Gia sighed. "She wants parents who care for her."

"She has your parents."

"And she has her mother," Gia whispered. She held her head in her hand, "God, this sucks!"

"It's got to be really hard to put ourselves in her shoes," Noah said as he took a sip of his smoothie. "We had two good parents."

"We did?"

"Your parents seem pretty awesome," Noah nodded his head. "My parents have always been great. I know they love me, I know they care, and when I got home it's a good feeling."

"Yeah, I get that…"

"So, you know, it's hard to know how Emma's really feeling about all this, or how much she's really hurting. Or even if she's scared," Noah took another sip of his drink and then looked over at Gia, "I'm not saying she's right for saying what she did, and I know you're just trying to help, but maybe you've got no idea what you're really messing with."

"She's my best friend, Noah."

"Well, when you were going through what you did with Cliff, Emma stepped aside. You talked to Serena. She knew more about what you were going through than Emma, right?"

"Are you saying I need to call someone who's been abandoned by her parents before?"

"Jake left his mother. He could always try talking to her."

"Jake chose to leave his mother," Gia said. "If we're going this route, that's not good enough. That's a different pain."

"Well, your father left you," Noah said. "You've got be a little mad at him for dying. Maybe if you tapped into that…"

"Don't make me cry."

"What if you find a support group or something? Or suggest she go see a therapist? What if she talks to Serena?"

"Serena's got a new nephew," Gia shook her head. "She just got home. I couldn't take her away again."

"You know she'd come. And she seems to be really good at getting you two girls over whatever you're going through."

"Serena is a big help," Gia said, "But I couldn't call her back. She shouldn't have to put up with all our bullshit."

"So, you're going to deny Emma the help she needs? She's going through something, Gia. It's obviously hard on her having her mother around."

"Maybe I should ask Mrs. Goodall to find her own place?" Gia suggested, "That way Emma doesn't have to see her all the time."

"Would that solve the problem?"

"I don't know," Gia put her head back into her hands, "I just want to help her, Noah. She's got no idea how lucky she is."

"Lucky?"

"Mrs. Goodall came back. She was gone, possibly for good, but she came back. Emma doesn't even want her around."

"Is it possible you're projecting?" Noah asked. Gia looked to him stunned for a moment before she let out a sigh.

"I guess it's possible."

"You're jealous because Emma's mother is back and your dad is still…"

"Dead. He's dead. I want my father more than anything, and Emma's finally got her mother back in her life and trying to be better and she's pushing her away. It's not fair. Why can't we both get what we want? Why can't she just be grateful that she still has her parents?"

Noah put a hand on Gia's back, "I'm sorry, Gia."

"I want to help her, Noah," Gia whispered. "She's got a mother that cares for her, and she wants nothing to do with her. She's got no idea what she's missing."

"She's not missing a mother," Noah said. "Isn't your mother like a mother for her?"

"Well, yeah, but…"

"So, why would she need another one? Why does she have to have another mother, or her own mother?"

"She doesn't, I'm not saying… why are you confusing me, Noah? Stop asking questions, stop twisting things."

"How do you think Emma's feeling?"

"That's another question," Gia sighed. She leaned back in her chair and swirled her smoothie with the straw. She let out a deep breath, "But it's a really good one. I guess I really don't know what it's like."

"We had amazing parents," Noah said, "It's hard to relate. Maybe Emma just needs some space to figure things out for herself."

"In other words, no meddling from me?"

"Not unless you want to hear another Cliff comment," Noah said and he turned to Gia sadly, "I still can't believe she said that."

"Neither can I. I just wish there was more I can do. She's always been there for me."

"Watching isn't fun," Noah said. "We had to go through that with you. You made it."

"Barely."

"She'll make it too. And whatever she decides, you need to support her."

Gia nodded her head and then leaned into Noah. She wrapped her arms around him and sighed, "You're a smart guy, Carver."

"Thanks," Noah chuckled. "I try."

Gia pulled away and smiled at him, "You're also a good friend. It's no wonder Jake's so proud to have you as a friend."

"He's the lucky one," Noah laughed teasingly, "Sometimes, I wonder why I put up with him."

"I hear you," Gia smirked. "Another round? It's on me,"


	3. Respect For Mother

Emma sat at her desk in her room flipping through the photo albums she had kept with her from when she had been a little girl. She had had a camera in her hands for as long as she could remember, and always made sure to take pictures of big events. She had birthdays, vacations with the Morans, big school projects, exciting new finds in the forest, celebrations, anything she could think of that brought joy to her life there were pictures for it. They were her memories, and one day when she was old she could look back on them and remember all the good times in her life – just like she was doing now.

As she looked back on her childhood, she noticed neither of her parents were in any of the pictures. They had never been around for special events. She was always with the Morans. She was happy now. Living with them was the best thing that could happen with her. She had a home where she felt safe, loved, and welcomed. When she came home at the end of the day, there was someone waiting for her, asking her where she had been, what she had been doing, and they took interest in what she had to say. When she was home late, there was someone who worried about her. It was completely different from what she had with her parents, who for most of her life had been gone.

She loved the Morans and she was very happy with them. She never wanted to go back to her old life and couldn't imagine leaving the Morans for anything. However, she felt that peace was threatened. Her mother had returned, and though it was her own doing, Emma didn't like what it meant. Mrs. Goodall was trying all she could to show her she was changing and that she could and wanted to be the mother Emma always needed. Emma was scared that if she let her mother into her life and if she let herself see that her mother was indeed changing into someone more caring and responsible, she would be forced to move out.

Well, not forced. She was sure the Morans would be happy to let her stay her last year until college, but it wouldn't be right. If she forgave her mother, she felt she would have to go and live with her. She was only staying with the Morans because she didn't have parents who wanted to take care of her and parents she could trust. Mrs. Goodall was proving she wanted to be a part of her life, she wanted to take care of her the way she should have been for seventeen years. If Emma forgave her, and let herself trust her mother again, there was no reason to stay. She didn't want to move again. She didn't want to be taken from her family. She didn't want to have to get used to a new life right before heading out and starting her own. She was comfortable with the Morans. She was safe with the Morans.

She didn't want to leave the Morans.

"You were adorable as a little girl," Mrs. Moran said and Emma jumped, startled. She hadn't heard the door open or Mrs. Moran walk up right behind her. She turned around and saw the older woman was chuckling. "Hello."

"You scared me."

"Sorry, but I have been calling you for dinner. Your mother made your favourite."

"No surprise there," Emma rolled her eyes. "She's trying too hard."

"She's new to this, Emma."

"She shouldn't be."

"I know. It would be nice if you did come downstairs for dinner, though. You shouldn't stay cooped up in your room all day long."

"Alright, fine," Emma sighed. She closed the photo album and followed Mrs. Moran downstairs. When she got to the kitchen and saw the meals on the table she turned to her mother, "Vegetarian, right?"

"100%," Mrs. Goodall promised. "I had a little help."

Emma glanced to Mrs. Moran and saw her nodding her head. Satisfied with the answer she took a seat and started eating. Mrs. Moran and Mrs. Goodall joined her.

"So, Emma…"

"Where's Gia?" Emma interrupted her mother and looked over to Mrs. Moran.

"She's eating dinner with Noah's family."

"Noah?"

"Your mother was going to ask you something," Mrs. Moran said. She started to worry about forcing Emma to come to dinner. If Emma kept up with this attitude, she would be forced to play referee.

"I was going to ask what made you want to be a vegetarian," Mrs. Goodall said. "I know it's not easy."

"Why wouldn't I be vegetarian?" was Emma's answer.

"Well, I'm…"

"I mean, why do people become vegetarians?"

"Emma, she was just asking after you," Mrs. Moran said. "Surely you have a reason to share with her."

"When I was thirteen I did," Emma said. "She could have asked me then."

"Is it the healthy lifestyle choice?" Mrs. Goodall wouldn't let herself be discouraged by Emma's attitude this time. She couldn't give up and needed to show her daughter she really wanted a relationship. "Or are you against killing animals for meat?"

"Yes," Emma answered.

"Emma, please," Mrs. Moran scolded the pink Ranger, "It's just a question."

"I don't think I want to talk," Emma said.

"I know you're hurting," Mrs. Goodall said. "I know you have your father and me to blame, but I'm trying to make up for that."

"You can't," Emma growled. She picked up her plate and walked upstairs to her room to finish eating her meal by herself. Mrs. Goodall put her head in her hands and sighed.

"I'm trying Vanessa. I really am."

"I know," Mrs. Moran put her hand on Mrs. Goodall's back, "You're doing all the right things."

"And she still won't… open up to me. She won't talk to me. I know I've screwed up. I'll admit to it. I'll announce it to the world and humiliate myself if that's what she wants…"

"I think this time, the fault is on Emma," Mrs. Moran said. She finished up the last few bites of her dinner. "Would you mind doing the dishes while I talk to her?"

Mrs. Goodall nodded while Mrs. Moran walked upstairs. She didn't knock on Emma's door. She walked right in.

"Grounded."

"What?"

"One week."

"What?"

"You heard me," Mrs. Moran nodded her head and crossed her arms over her chest, her signal that her word was final. "What you did downstairs was disrespectful not just to your mother, but to anyone. That behaviour will not be tolerated in this house and you know better. You're grounded for one week. Starting now. Go help your mother do the dishes."

"You can't do that!"

"Can't I?" Mrs. Moran asked. Emma groaned, got up from her desk and headed down the stairs. She saw her mother in the kitchen by the sink and sighed loudly.

"This isn't fair," Emma said as she picked up a pot and started to dry it. Mrs. Moran came down.

"Maybe when your attitude changes, we can all three sit down and talk about what's fair and what isn't."

"This isn't going to make me like mom anymore, you know that, right?" Emma said as she glanced over her shoulder at Mrs. Moran.

"I don't expect it to. You're not grounded for not liking her. You're grounded because of how disrespectful you were. Keep drying, I still see some wet spots."


	4. A Breakthrough

After being forced to do the dishes, Emma was not happy. She had been grounded supposedly for being disrespectful to her mother. Deep down, she knew Mrs. Moran was right, and her behaviour had been inappropriate, but still, that didn't make her feel any better about anything that had happened.

She was in her room, once again flipping through old pictures when she heard a knock on the door. She didn't answer and hoped whoever it was would go away.

Mrs. Goodall walked in, to which Emma groaned.

"What?"

"I just wanted to apologize for what happened in the kitchen," Mrs. Goodall said. "I shouldn't have pushed it."

"Mom, I don't want anything to do with you right now," Emma replied without looking to Mrs. Goodall. "Why can't you just… get it?"

"Because I've made a huge mistake," Mrs. Goodall closed the bedroom door and she walked over to Emma's bed. She took a seat, telling her daughter she planned on staying until she could finish saying whatever she had to say. "They say, at the end of your life, you regret the things you didn't do more than the things you did. I regret not taking you with us on vacations. I regret not coming home for days or weeks at a time. I regret missing out on everything that shaped you into who you are today."

"You're all talk, mom…"

"Because you won't let me show you how much I want to change!"

"Maybe I don't want to see it. You had seventeen years, mom! You chose Paris over me!"

"And it was the worst mistake I've ever made. All those trips. All that time I spent away from you. I wish I had made better decisions. I wish I had spent more time with you."

"Well, you didn't."

"Emma, I wish there was a button I could press that would take us back seventeen years. Back before I turned into this sorry excuse for a mother, if I can even be called that. I'd change everything. I'd make it better. I'd be the kind of mother you needed."

"You'd be like Vanessa."

"I'd be more like Vanessa, yes," Mrs. Goodall said. "But a button like that doesn't exist. I can't take back those seventeen years. I've only got whatever years you and I have left. I know you want your space, Emma, and I'm sure you want nothing to do with me, but I want to spend as much time with you as I can. I've already lost seventeen years and I don't want to lose any more."

"So then why did you go to Paris?"

"I was an idiot."

"Yeah."

"I do love you, Emma. More than anything. It doesn't show, but I want it to, and I'll try every single day to make you understand just how special you are to me."

"You don't even know me," Emma rolled her eyes.

"I want to," Mrs. Goodall got up from the bed and reached into her back pocket. "I'm settling down. Vanessa is helping me find a house. Two bedrooms…"

"No."

"Emma…"

"No, I'm not moving. We've been through this already, mom, I want to stay here…"

"Emma, I'm not asking you to move," Mrs. Goodall said. She showed Emma the paper she printed from the internet, which had a picture of the house and description. "You're happy here, and Vanessa is much better for you than I'll ever be. I would never take you away from this. The second bedroom is yours though, in case you ever wanted to visit. In case we could ever just… be friends."

"You don't want me to go live with you?"

"More than anything, that's what I want," Mrs. Goodall said, "But I know that's not what you want, and that's not what you need. You've been through enough, already. Your father and I have put you through hell. If this is your home, it'll stay that way. I'm not forcing you to do anything."

"I don't want to move," Emma whispered. Mrs. Goodall looked down at her daughter and at first she couldn't tell what was hurting her so much, but after a moment it dawned on her. She knelt and wrapped her arms around Emma.

"You're not leaving here. Vanessa would never let me take you away. Gia would never let me take you away. You're not going anywhere."

"I moved in here because you and dad ran off," Emma said. "I needed a place to stay…"

"You moved in here because Vanessa and Joe thought it was best you have a stable, loving home," Mrs. Goodall promised her daughter. "That still stands, no matter what happens between us. I'm buying a house so I can be closer to you, not so I can take you away. I'm not forcing you to choose anything, Emma. If I did, I know I'd lose. All I'm asking is to be a part of your life. A part of all this. I don't deserve it, but please, Emma, if we can just be civil… I promise it'll work out."

"Vanessa and Joe have done everything for me. If you're here and you want me I can't… burden…"

"You're not a burden, Emma," Mrs. Moran said as she walked into the room. Neither Emma nor Mrs. Goodall had noticed she had knocked on then opened the door. "You're a pain in the ass sometimes, but never a burden. You're not going anywhere."

"I told you she wouldn't let me take you," Mrs. Goodall giggled. "The day you were born, the Morans came to visit, and when Vanessa held you, I couldn't convince her to let me take you back."

"You were adorable," Mrs. Moran nodded her head and then looked over to her best friend, "Though I'll bet wrestling her back from my arms was nothing compared to getting her back from Gia."

"Good lord, I thought I'd never get her back," Mrs. Goodall chuckled and then looked to Emma. "When we introduced you girls for the first time, we lay you next to Gia. You didn't do much, you were only babies, but when I picked you up to change you, all hell broke loose."

"Gia screamed," Mrs. Moran smiled. "She was not happy."

"We thought she'd settle after a couple of minutes, but she didn't. I finally put you back next to her and she cooed happily."

"We tried to separate you two several times that day. If we took you away, Gia would scream. If we took Gia away, you would scream."

"Really?" Emma asked and looked to her mother. Mrs. Goodall nodded.

"You've been like that ever since."

Emma smiled and looked down at her hands. She took a deep breath and faced her mother.

"You know… that's the first time you've ever… done that."

"Done what?"

"Talked about the past. What I was like as a baby. I didn't think you remembered."

"Of course I remembered, Emma. You're my daughter. I remember every minute I spend with you. I'm just sad there's not that many. But I know that's my fault. I know the mistake is mine. You deserve better, and fortunately, you've landed on your feet with this family."

"I have," Emma said and smiled at Mrs. Moran.

"But I'm back now," Mrs. Goodall continued, "And I'm not taking you away, I just want to… apologize for everything I've done to hurt you. Can we do that? Will you let me do that?"

"When I learned meat came from animals, and that many animals were mistreated before they died, I stopped eating meat," Emma said. "I don't like the idea of eating something that was once alive, I don't like the way some people treat their animals, and I don't think it's right. I can live a perfectly healthy life without sacrificing other lives, so why shouldn't I? That's why I decided to be a vegetarian."

"Thank you," Mrs. Goodall said with a smile before getting up. "I'll let you go back to…"

"Mom…"

"Yeah."

"Do you still have that new album?"

"Do you still need a new one?"

"I'll probably be taking a lot of pictures," Emma chuckled.

"It's downstairs on the coffee table," Mrs. Goodall answered. Emma smiled and hurried out of her seat to grab it. Mrs. Moran looked over to her best friend.

"I'll bet you that feels… are you crying?"

"No," Mrs. Goodall turned away. Mrs. Moran laughed as she came over and wrapped her arms around her best friend.

"You are crying. I thought you wanted this? She's opening up."

"I do. I do. I'm happy."

"Oh," Mrs. Moran laughed. She hugged her best friend a little closer, "That kind of crying. Aw, Claire, I'm so happy for you."


	5. All's Well

Emma had to stay up late that night as she sat in the hallway between hers and Gia's bedroom and waited for the yellow Ranger to come home. With all the drama of the day, she had almost forgotten the argument between her and Gia. Gia had only been trying to help, and had called Emma out on being a little too hard on her mother – which was true. Because of her fears of having to leave, Emma had been very rude and disrespectful to her mother. However, Emma didn't want to hear it at the time and had snapped. She wanted to apologize for that, but more specifically, for what she had said.

She heard the front door open at about one o'clock in the morning and could see down into the hallway that it was Gia coming home. She continued to sit quietly in the dark as Gia took off her boots and started to climb the stairs.

"You're breathing loudly," she said. Emma was startled, but not surprised.

"You knew I was here?"

"Why are you up?"

"Why are you home late?"

"I ran into Noah at the Brainfreeze. He invited me back to his place for dinner and we kind of got distracted."

"Doing what?"

"You know those power cards Gosei gave us? Noah made a game out of them."

"Of course he did," Emma smiled and rolled her eyes.

"It's a pretty fun game," Gia said. "I picked up on it quickly and we both lost track of time. Mom's going to kill me tomorrow, isn't she?"

"I told her you texted me," Emma shook her head.

"You covered for me?"

"Of course."

"I thought you were mad at me."

Emma sighed and got to her feet. She tried to look up at Gia but she was too ashamed. She hated what she had said when Gia had only been trying to help. Had she listened to Gia instead of firing back at her, she would have seen she had been wrong, possibly gone to talk to her mother, everything would have been fine, and she wouldn't have been grounded.

"I'm not mad. I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"What I said. You know…"

"It's fine, Emma. I know you didn't mean it. Besides, I shouldn't have bothered you about your mom. Whatever's between you two should…"

"You were right. I was being a little hard on her," Emma said. "She's been nothing but nice since she got here, and she's actually been trying to reach out to me. Even if it's not perfect, she's doing her best, and I should have appreciated that more instead of whining that my parents don't love me."

"You know they do," Gia said. "In their own twisted way. And it's not like parents are always perfect, or they always know what to do."

"Yeah. I guess they make mistakes sometimes too."

"Not seventeen years straight of mistakes. Noah and I talked and… neither of us really knows what it's like to have screwed up families because… we had great parents. I've been by your side through all this, but I've got no clue what you're really going through and it wasn't fair for me to push you like that. I'm sorry."

"Thanks, but I should be apologizing," Emma hugged Gia tightly. "Even if you shouldn't have been butting in, I never should have brought Cliff up like that."

"It's okay, you didn't mean it…"

"It's not okay. Mom and dad may have hurt me, but that doesn't mean I didn't grow up with loving parents. I had a normal childhood it was just… atypical," Emma laughed a little bit and then she was serious again, "Cliff hurt you in a different way, in a worse way, and I never should have compared what I was going through to that, and I never should have even brought him up. I'm really, really sorry."

"And you're really, really forgiven," Gia said. She gave Emma another hug and then smiled at her best friend. "Is everything good now?"

"Better, even," Emma nodded. "Mom and I did talk. We worked through some things and… She's going to try more, and I'm going to be more open to having her around."

"So, no more cold shoulder?"

"No."

"Good," Gia chuckled and nudged her best friend, "If you kept that up any longer, I would have lost my title as ice queen. You're really good at that, you know."

"Two years of watching you do it," Emma shrugged, "I picked up on a few things."

"Well, don't do it again."

"I won't," Emma smiled. "Goodnight, Gia."

"Goodnight, Emma."


End file.
